CARLOS M. SILVA JR., Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle |
July 31, 2008

At 6-5, 300 pounds, Mike Brisiel isn’t hard to spot on the football field.

But he’s just happy to be on the field for the Texans this season and is slated to start at right guard, no less.

Brisiel wasn’t a known commodity last year. Picked up as an undrafted free agent May 4 out of Colorado State, he was signed to the practice squad twice and survived three releases.

“I’ve been on the practice squad for basically two years,” Brisiel said. “Last year, I was on the practice squad up until the 12th week, when Fred (Weary) got injured. Then they called me up. … Luckily, they gave me the opportunity to battle it out for the starting job.”

Brisiel made his own luck, really, earning the starting job at right guard for the last four games and helping his team to a 3-1 record to end the season. It was a bittersweet turn of events for the first-year player.

“It’s an added bonus for me, because those guys on the practice squad do a lot of the hard work and never get to have the fun on Sundays,” Brisiel said.

He put in a lot of extra effort, but that work ethic helped him keep his starting job going into the 2008 season.

“He’s very hungry to play well,” Texans coach Gary Kubiak said. “He wants to be successful, and he’s willing to do whatever it takes to do that.”

And Brisiel has done whatever it takes, participating in all of the Texans’ practices after breaking his nose the first day.

“This should tell you all you need to know about him,” Kubiak said. “He got his nose fractured in two places, and he didn’t miss one practice.”

Asked to talk about his teammate, fellow lineman Chester Pitts went to great lengths to spell out Brisiel’s grittiness.

“That’s one of the reasons he’s the player he is,” offensive line coach John Benton said. “You can count on him, and he’s as tough as tough gets. If he doesn’t have something broken or missing, he’s going to be out there. He shows up every day and works his tail off.”

Benton knew what to expect from Brisiel, since he recruited him to Colorado State. He’s lived up to his coaches’ words, always wearing his helmet, bruised nose and all.

“I got unlucky; I caught an elbow,” Brisiel said. “So now I have to wear it every time because the bones haven’t properly healed.”

Taking an elbow to the face from defensive end Anthony Weaver could have dampened Brisiel’s spirits, but he decided to put a jovial spin on the episode.

“It’s not a real injury,” Brisiel said. “It’s something that will screw up my good looks.”

That’s how Brisiel — always an optimist — handles himself. After what he went through last season, it’s easy to see why. But no matter what situation he is handed, he has a plan for the rest of training camp.

“Stay healthy, be willing to work every day and never stop trying to improve,” Brisiel said. “There are always things you have to work on. I’m just trying to work as hard as I can.”